by Nina Walker
“Okay, where do I start?”
I should’ve known better. Cowering awkwardly at the entrance of the large training gym, I nibbled my bottom lip. At the far end were weight machines and treadmills, but most of the area was open for sparring. And all around me, people were doing just that. The smell of sweat and grunts of combat saturated the gym. It was like there was an extra layer of testosterone in here. Wonderful.
“But you don’t fight,” I muttered to Jasmine.
“Why would you think a silly thing like that?” The old woman winked at me and then strode in like she owned the place. Well, okay then…
The gym was filled with both officers and alchemists. Apparently this was one space in which the two groups mixed well. Obviously, the alchemists would have the advantage in a fight, but the officers were strong, lethal even, and there were five of them for every one of us. Plus, many carried weapons.
I followed Jasmine to a beast of a man calling off positions to a couple of younger boys who were, for all intents and purposes, beating the ever-living hell out of each other. One landed a punch with a sickening crack. Blood flew across the mat. They both had light amber necklaces tied around their necks. Yellow. It made sense. The one who’d been hit barely noticed the impact. He jumped up and pummeled the other.
I turned away, shielding myself from the sight.
“All right, that’s enough,” the man called out after a couple more minutes of brutality. The boys instantly stopped fighting. One helped the other off the mat, where only seconds before he’d been punching him repeatedly in the face. They both acted as if nothing had happened as they limped to a door at the back of the gym. I briefly wondered where they were going.
“Are they all right?” I asked, unable to stop myself from asking the question. Fighting wasn’t something that was tolerated by New Colony citizens. Violence of any nature was quickly quelled. Even the typical stuff that happened at school could end up in revoked privileges. Fighting was just not part of everyday life in New Colony. To see it so openly accepted, celebrated even, made me want to hide in a corner.
“Don’t worry,” the man laughed. “They like it. And there’s a greenhouse out back. In a few minutes they’ll be good as new.” So they could quickly go heal their own wounds, I realized. I remembered the palace medical wing I had stayed in briefly, but I guessed that wasn’t really for alchemists. It must be for everyone else who lived here. Alchemists could just heal themselves.
“Jessa, this is Guardian Branson,” Jasmine said. The man was my dad’s age, tall, but all hard lines and bulging muscle. Dressed in the typical black, he looked deadly. He probably could kill me with a single punch.
“Um, hi.” I tried to steady my voice as I shook his hand. It was like shaking hands with a rock, his grip was so strong. “So I can assume you’re good with yellow, then?” I asked. My voice shook.
He shot me a startled look and then cracked a warm smile. “You could say that.”
I tried to hide my disappointment. I needed to work on orange, purple, and green, but I didn’t say anything. Last thing I needed to do was make the guy angry.
“You’re going to spend some time with Branson today, Jessa. Do whatever he says. Don’t worry, he’ll keep you safe,” Jasmine said with so much confidence that I wondered if Branson was part of the Resistance too.
We’d be so lucky to have a guy like him.
“And tomorrow, I’ll come find you again?” I asked, turning my attention on Jasmine. I bugged my eyes out at her, hoping she caught my meaning. I so did not want to spend days in this gym.
“Yes, we’re going to start rotating you among all the best teachers here. Have you attend some of their classes, do private mentoring, and practice. You’re behind on your training, and like I said, you could be tested at any moment.”
I let out a squeak of anticipation.
She was right. As I watched her glide away, part of me was terrified to even think about what was next for me. But another part of me was excited for the opportunity. It was really happening. I was an alchemist.
“So, Jessa,” Branson said, his voice gravelly. “I heard you passed your yellow examination with virtually no training.”
I turned on him, smiling tentatively. “Yes, that’s right.”
“You got lucky,” he said gruffly. Oh shucks, thanks for the compliment. “But luck won’t always win. There’s talent, and then there’s hard work. Are you willing to work hard?”
“Of course.” I meant it. This entire gym and everything that went on here terrified me, but I wasn’t naïve enough to think I wouldn’t need to know how to hold my own. These people could fight, officers and alchemists alike, and there would most likely come a time I would have to fight some of them. Maybe even for my life.
“All right then, I’m going to be teaching you some basic movements. But before we do that, let’s see what level you’re at.” He handed me an amber necklace.
“I’m a beginner,” I sputtered before I could stop myself. But he didn’t acknowledge my embarrassing response. I followed him into the center of the gym, anticipation making me want to run in the opposite direction. That’s when I noticed Reed had been hovering in the background. Just my luck, the second Branson motioned for him, he came running like a little puppy dog about to get his favorite bone. Remembering what Jasmine had said about making friends, I held back my glare and met him with a huge fake smile.
“All right, you two, fight. Reed, go easy on her. I have a feeling she’s never done this before.”
“Hold up. What?” I turned on Branson. Was he serious? He wanted me to fight Reed? Right here? Now? But, before I could get an answer, the little weasel swiped my legs out from under me. I fell on my butt and scrambled backward. I may have been a novice, but I was smart enough to know that I needed to get back on my feet.
“Oh, so you want to play dirty?” I asked, venom in every word. Forget this, Reed wasn’t getting my fake smile for another second.
He only laughed that infectious laugh that had made me want to be his friend in the first place. His eyes squinted mischievously. “Oh, I would love to play dirty with you, Jessa.”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. Such a boy answer.
He moved in for an attack, but I dodged him. “When are you going to stop being mad at me?”
“When you stop spying on me.”
“You know I regret that.”
I swung a punch, but he blocked it.
“Oh, do I?” I swung again, but faked, and head-butted him in the chest.
He stepped back, not affected. Dang it!
“I was just following orders, but I didn’t want to do it. You know me better than that.” He shrugged.
I did know him better than that. He’d been my friend, and I thought I could trust him. Even though he liked me, he liked his boy-wonder status with Faulk more. And at the times when I was most vulnerable, he’d used his blue alchemy to get what he wanted.
But I apparently needed to make friends, to fit in, and not to call suspicion to myself. Reed was the most popular alchemist in our age group. He was athletic, funny, out-going, friendly, talented, and attractive. Anyone who was in with him probably had a better shot of winning over the rest of the group.
I swung at him again—missing, again.
“Geez, you’re terrible at this.” He smiled, brushing off the shoulder of his black uniform. “Use your alchemy, Jessa. Seriously, you’re not even trying.”
“I am trying!” I yelled. Okay, maybe I hadn’t thought of using my magic. Not that he needed to know. I wiped away a bead of sweat running down my temple and connected with the necklace.
“Well, try harder.” He lunged, bringing me straight down on my back. His solid body loomed over me, pinning me to the mat. He had the upper hand, the chance to break my face if he wanted to. But, his position didn’t scare me. Reed wasn’t on my side, but he still had that persuasive thing about him—probably to do with his gift for blue. There was just something about
the guy that made people like him.
“Okay, fine, I’ll forgive you,” I said, “if you get off.”
“Make me.” He smirked.
I grumbled, pulling on the magic from the yellow. I allowed the feel of the rock against my throat to weigh on my skin, focusing. A moment later, the yellow alchemy connected and a surge of adrenaline shot through me. I catapulted him off me in a single shove, then jumped to my feet, cat-like.
“Good girl. Now, you’re trying.”
“Oh, shut up.” I fought the smile lingering on my lips and stepped toward him, ready to go in for another punch.
“That’s enough, you two,” Branson hollered. “This is a fight, not a date.”
Reed laughed. I shuffled back, taking in the crowd of people who’d assembled around us. I’d been so involved in the task I’d hardly registered them. A pit of nerves landed in my stomach, and I bit my lip, sure my cheeks were flaming. It wasn’t like that with Reed, but to the rest of the world, it sure looked like it was.
I caught a glimpse of stormy gray eyes at the back of the crowd. Lucas’s expression held nothing. No evidence of jealousy. No amusement. Not even a peek of longing that I’d come to recognize whenever he looked at me. He was just…blank. We locked gazes for a heavy moment, before he took a step back and disappeared into the crowd.
5
Sasha
The leaves crunched under my shoes as I headed down the path. The forest was alive today. I inhaled the fresh pine and welcomed the warmth of the evening sun as it caressed my face. I was alone at the moment, and I relished in that fact. Mastin and Jacob Cole were pretty much everywhere I went, and it would be a lie to pretend it wasn’t bothering me. We didn’t need them or anyone from West America to help us. We’d spent years getting to this point. Jessa was in the palace now, a red alchemist.
The Resistance had people who were either alchemists themselves or supported them. West America? They were anything but our allies. I didn’t understand how we were suddenly buddies with them. But nobody seemed to care what I thought about it. If they did they sure had a funny way of showing it. Hank hadn’t talked to me since the meeting in his cabin two days ago. Not that I was talking to him either. The sting of betrayal was too fresh.
My nightmares had started again. Dreams where the pain came in flashes, leaving me gasping for air as I woke. I’d been out running more than ever, dreading the snow that would arrive soon.
I continued down the path, smiling when a squirrel nearly ran into my foot. The little guy was probably used to us humans by now. I caught sight of Lacey then and sucked in a shallow breath. I’d been spending a lot of my time with her. It hurt, and was probably the source of my nightmares returning. Because as much as she didn’t bother me, her parents certainly did. And it always seemed that one of them was hovering whenever Lacey and I worked. Granted, she was only six. But it wasn’t like I was going to do anything to harm her.
“Hey, girl, are you ready to get to work today?” I approached her. She was sitting on a log bench—our usual meeting place. Her legs were crossed under her small frame. The crisp breeze caught a lock of her wavy hair, stretching it in ribbons across her face. It was probably one of the last hot days we’d have for a while, and she was enjoying it like any kid should be.
She smiled up at me, and I was struck again by her looks. She was a cross between Jessa and myself. Why people didn’t question me about it had to be because few knew about my family history.
But our parents know. Don’t they see the resemblance?
Of course Christopher, our father, chose that moment to grace us with his presence. Not surprising since Lacey was never alone. I really didn’t want to deal with him.
Abandonment issues, anyone?
“Good evening, Sasha.” He half smiled, but there was guardedness behind his hazel eyes. “How are you?”
“I’m doing all right.” I wasn’t. I was too distracted to care about things like happiness. It was depressing to see where I’d ended up emotionally after all this time. I needed to get it together and suppress the itch to run.
We both stood awkwardly for a minute, neither making a move. What was I supposed to do? I could barely even look at the man. He brought up too many feelings of inadequacy. And much to my own frustration, longing was mixed with that pain. A ridiculous need to impress him, or something equally pathetic.
“So, how’s our girl coming along? Everything…safe?”
I cleared my throat. “Absolutely. Safety is my number one priority.”
Okay, that wasn’t entirely true. I had pushed her hard a few times in the last couple of days. But it was only because I knew she was powerful. She had to be! Three alchemists in one generation, in one family like that? Unheard of. And with the West American guys hanging around, she’d need to know how to control her magic. I didn’t trust them to care about her safety.
“Well, we’d better get to work.” I smiled at Lacey.
Christopher fidgeted, shifting his weight. He was lanky, a typical middle-aged man. His sandy hair was threaded with gray, showing the signs of age. “So, Sasha, where are you from?” he asked.
Are you kidding me? My throat pinched as I fumbled for the right words. Yes, Daddy, it’s me, Francesca! I banished the thoughts. I was Sasha now.
“New Colony. I was a GC kid who was lucky enough to get out and end up here. I’ve mostly been up here for years,” I said. “That’s all I know.” I ended it with finality in my tone.
The pine needles crunched under my boots as I took a step back and turned away. If he figured out who I was, then what? We’d all live happily ever after? Yeah, right. No way was I going to forgive them.
This camp, this little misfit village we had here, it was my home. The thick forest was my backyard. The morning fog, the ambient noise of small animals, the clear air, it all comforted me in a way the Capitol never could. These people who lived here were the ones I trusted. The only ones who cared about me. Hank and Tristan had gotten me out of the dark New Colony world, and I’d clung onto my new one ever since.
Christopher nodded, like he had an idea of what I’d been through.
I focused on the little girl who was beginning to follow me around with stars in her eyes. Hero worship, some might say. I guess that’s what I got for training her. “So, what do you say, Lacey, ready to get to work?” I asked.
Christopher followed as I led her through the clearing of pines toward the nearest glittering lake. It was one of many that dotted the area. Small and docile, the lake was one of my favorite places to think. The rocky banks had been my friend and confidante too many times. I didn’t mind bringing Lacey to my special place, but I hated that I couldn’t tell her dad to bug off.
“So what color is your favorite so far?”
I matched her smile while she talked with animated hand movements.
“Well, I didn’t know how to do purple. But I want to try again. Yellow was the most fun. But I really liked green too. That one is the best.”
In time I would be testing all the colors on her, including red. And now that I knew about its capabilities, white as well. Red wasn’t something I cared to relearn, but since I’d seen white in action, I couldn’t stop trying to get it to work. So far I’d had zero luck. I hoped I could figure it out soon because that would be something valuable to have. White was a shield. It could be used for invisibility of all things. No wonder Lucas had been able to keep his a secret for so long. I wondered how many other alchemists knew about white, if any. I was dying to get it to work.
Red had been a brief ability for me, but it was gone now. My theory was that the horror of what I’d been forced to do with it had been too much for me, and I’d suppressed it. Good riddance.
“Would you like to try some other colors?”
A toothy smile spread across her face as she nodded excitedly, her blond curls dancing.
“All right, how about orange?” I laughed when she started jumping up and down.
“What does
orange do?”
“Orange is passion.”
She stared at me, a line deepening between her eyes, and I laughed harder.
“What’s passion?”
“Well, think of it like this. Orange makes people happy.” Among other things. “It lightens the mood, if needed. It basically takes a feeling someone is having and makes it ten times bigger.”
Her eyes wavered, distracted by a couple of ducks floating idly on the water. Maybe I wasn’t the best with little kids. I didn’t know how to entertain her by talking about magic, but showing her would draw her back in.
I stepped closer to the lake, peering through the water until I found what I was looking for. My fingers slipped into the icy water, and I palmed a smooth orange stone. The lakes up this way were notorious for their colorful river rocks, and they came in handy more often than not. We didn’t have access to the same crystals and exotic plants at the palace. I had my necklace, but I had to be careful not to use it up too fast. I mostly kept it on for safe keeping, just in case. I could find all the colors I needed in their natural elements. So, take that, New Colony!
“Are you going to show me?”
“You got it.”
“And then can I try?”
“Absolutely.”
Her gapped-toothed smile returned, and I mirrored it again. I had to be careful. She wasn’t ever going to be my sister, not truly. The more I enjoyed spending time with her, the more it would hurt when she was gone. A rush of longing filled me at the thought.
“Tell me a funny story,” I said, ignoring the feelings that threatened to overpower me. “What’s something that made you laugh so hard that you couldn’t stop laughing?”
I carried the rock as we made our way up to a tree to sit under. We both sat cross-legged, and Lacey wove a lock of her hair around her finger as she thought.
“Oh, I know!” Light sparked in her eyes, and she giggled. “This one time, Jessa told me the funniest joke, and I laughed so hard I peed my pants.”